Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows question

I have always felt sorry for Tom, too. I just think at some point, though, people need to take responsibility for their actions, regardless of what travesty has motivated them.

As a child, he can't be responsible, but as an adult, I can't excuse him. I felt sorry for the child and pitied the adult.

I don't feel sorry for him. I pity him.

"Do not pity the dead, Harry, pity the living. Above all, pity those who live without love. " - Albus Dumbledore

I felt sorry for Tom Riddle. He was conceived under horrible circumstances.

I pity him for never experiencing love. For being scared of it and everything that is good but will never last.

i feel sorry for voldamort because he has no nose and he can't enjoy the sun because he is very pale

Nope. I feel sorry for a lot of other controversial characters in a way (Snape, Dumbledore, Draco, etc.) but certainly not Voldemort. He had so many chances to redeem himself.

I do feel a tiny amount of pity for him though; he's stuck under that table in limbo for eternity.

I pity the child he was. In the Half Blood Prince it mentions that, even as a baby Tom didn’t cry much. Magic is tied to intent. I think his birth mother never wanted him, he was just a tool for her obsession. Coupled with being conceived under a love potion.... he didn’t have a prayer. Obviously his actions as an adult are unforgivable but I think of the baby he was. (Maybe it’s just because I currently have my own 11 week old.)

Voldemort was just your basic, generic villain. there was no complexity in his character or any reason for him becoming evil, the only reason was he wanted to "rule the world" because he was so powerful. it is basically the pretence to every basic children's book with good vs evil. don't get me wrong it was a good book but J.K. Rowling could have added more depth to all of the villains. He the second you pick up the book you just know that there will be some big bad guy that is defeated by a little boy, defeating all likelihood that harry would die to the one of the most powerful wizards in history. But who even finds it plausible that harry could defeat Voldemort while only having basic knowledge of the wizarding world. does anyone feel the same way, if so please say so.

I don't hate him, I simply pity him. If only there was someone out there who loved him, maybe things could have been different.

I feel sorry for him in a way. He was born and raised in horrible circumstances, no real role model to look up to and no one who showed him love and kindness. I think there’s this huge misconception that he’s never loved anything or anyone, mostly due to being conceived under a love potion, but I don’t think that’s the case. I wish we had more of his backstory but he hates muggles, hates anyone who comes from the muggle world, and I believe it takes having loved something so strongly and lost it to grow that level of hatred for it. So I pity him, I think he’s the monster that the world created because he’s always been an outsider in both the muggle and magical world, I feel sorry that he grew up the way he did and was deprived of love and friendship. I don’t think it lessens what he did but he is human and he’s harbored a lot of pain. So I do feel sorry for him.

nah man

Nope. He doesn't want love or pity. He reveled in his evil with no remorse.

I felt sorry for Tom Riddle since he had no love. In my mind, Voldemort is someone who shares Tom's past, but is completely different and I don't like Voldemort because of how many people he hurt, tortured, and killed. So, in essence, I think I feel sorry for Tom Riddle, but hate Voldemort.

I feel bad for him but I think he could have chosen good. Sure he was "born without love" because of the love potion he was conceived under, but lets be real. These are despicable, horrible humans we're talking about. Wizards, sure, but I'm still positive there's lots of love potion babies. Sorry, Tom, but you're not special.

He did horrible things but I still feel sorry for him and pity him. He just seems like a scared, lost and insecure man...

While writing one of my books, I was told by several people that the antagonist should have some redeeming quality--to which I disagree. That is sometimes true but there are many villians that are just plain evil. Voldemort was one of those. I liked the conflicted expression on his face in the Order of the Phoenix movie when Harry told him that he felt sorry for him because he would never feel love or friendship.

No he killed people.

I understand what you're saying but if that was the only reason for his evil he would feel some remorse even if he couldn't admit to himself. As it is he doesn't he just wants to be a cruel creature. He could have at any point been kind and had friends maybe even someone he loved because it is clear their are those who admire him, but he didn't choose that. He chose lo live alone buried deep in heinous crimes.

Nope. He likes his life the way it is. There is nothing to feel sorry for him.

oh c'mon, there are a lot of people to feel sorry for in HP series. I have no pity to spare for Voldemort.

I never actually thought of it, but I always think the "bad guy" in a Movie/TV show/Book has a heart somewhere and the only reason why he/she is doing bad is because they didn't get what they needed.

its like saying i feel bad for Hitler. He murdered so many people and you still feel sorry for him? But I understand your point of view. I don't mean to sound rude

Umm...I have mixed feelings..Don't feel sorry for him because I don't think that he should have had the Death Eaters and because he killed so many people. I kinda feel sorry for him because no one loved him.

He was born without love so I sort of feel bad for him, but I really don't like the death eaters because they never had Voldemort's problems, they were truly evil.